Leicester make emotional return, Foyth has day to remember

General view of tributes left outside Leicester City’s King Power stadium, after the club’s owner Thai businessman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and four other people died when the helicopter they were travelling in crashed as it left the ground after their last home match. Craig Brough, Action Images via Reuters

LONDON – Leicester City players and fans paid a fond tribute to Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha on Saturday before the team were held to a 0-0 draw in the Premier League by Burnley in their first home game since the club owner’s death in a helicopter crash.

While it was naturally a day of high emotion at the King Power Stadium, elsewhere in England’s top flight Juan Foyth scored his first-ever goal for Spurs in their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace while there were big wins for struggling Cardiff City, who edged Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1, and Newcastle United, 2-1 winners over Bournemouth.

Leicester supporters and squad members, including injured England defender Harry Maguire, led a march from the city centre to the stadium where hundreds of team shirts, flags and banners were laid around the pitch.

Vichai’s son Aiyawatt and former Leicester managers Claudio Ranieri and Nigel Pearson were among the crowd, who observed a two-minute silence before kick off.

After the match, Leicester midfielder Marc Albrighton said it had been one of the most difficult games of his career.

“This week has been hard. We went to Thailand and paid our respects to Vichai and his family,” Albrighton said.

“It is something we felt we wanted to do. It is a tough time for everyone but everyone has done their part. Every single person at this club has stuck together.”

“It’s extraordinary the way the fans have come together. Leicester fans have been brilliant for us and we need them. It’s going to be a tough road. The lads are emotionally drained.

“Today was one of the hardest games I have ever played. It’s hard to focus.”

Leicester manager Claude Puel was proud of his players and praised their professionalism in handling the occasion.

“We were unlucky but I was proud of the players’ performance because they gave their best in this situation,” said Puel.

Foyth’s goal for Spurs came a week after his nightmare debut saw him concede two penalties in the 3-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The 20-year-old responded in the best possible way by producing a brave header to give fourth-placed Spurs, who are now level on points with Chelsea and Liverpool, their seventh successive win over Palace. Roy Hodgson’s side are experiencing their worst home start to a season for 21 years.

Cardiff celebrated only their second league win of the season as Sol Bamba netted a dramatic stoppage-time winner to seal their win over 10-man Brighton.

Lewis Dunk fired Brighton ahead but Callum Paterson brought the home side level before Cardiff made the most of Dale Stephens’s first-half sending off.

Bamba’s goal made it an anniversary to remember for manager Neil Warnock in his 100th game in charge.

“I didn’t even realise it was my 100th game until yesterday. Then, it will be about my 70th birthday (at the start of December),” Warnock said. “But I don’t feel it and I feel really proud to be manager of this group.”

Newcastle recorded consecutive league wins for the first time since April as Salomon Rondon scored a brace in their win over Bournemouth to move out of the bottom three on to nine points.

Jefferson Lerma netted a goal back on the stroke of half-time but Eddie Howe’s sixth-placed side failed to find an equaliser and suffered a major injury blow when Adam Smith was carried off with suspected knee ligament damage.

Southampton striker Charlie Austin was left fuming with officials after they disallowed what he felt was a clear goal during the 1-1 draw with Watford which left the Saints still struggling on eight points.

Referee Simon Hooper believed, incorrectly, that the ball had gone in off Saints’ Maya Yoshida, who was offside. Southampton, leading at the time through a Manolo Gabbiadini goal, were then hit by a late Jose Holebas equaliser.

“It’s ridiculous, they shouldn’t be in the game. We scored a perfectly good goal (at 1-0) that was ruled out for offside,” Austin told Sky Sports. “The officials cost us two points.

Huddersfield are still one from bottom in 19th place after drawing 1-1 with West Ham, whose Brazilian forward Felipe Anderson cancelled out a first-half goal from Alex Pritchard.